Press Release: NETWORK Responds to New Immigration Proposals

Washington DC: NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice lobby, today issued the
following statement about current congressional and administration
recommendations for immigration reform:

NETWORK applauds President Obama’s statement today about the urgent
need for commonsense immigration reform. We also welcome yesterday’s release of
the congressional “Bipartisan Framework for Comprehensive Immigration Reform”
as a valuable step in the right direction.

Sister Simone Campbell, NETWORK’s Executive Director, stated, “We applaud
this bipartisan effort to finally address our shattered immigration system.
Seeing the president and Congress fundamentally in agreement on this critical
issue is a breath of fresh air for a nation desperately hungry for evidence
that our political parties can work together for the good of all. Democracy
means bringing together diverse viewpoints for positive change, and this seems
to be happening. We agree with the president that our nation is calling out for
action and that the time is now.”

At NETWORK, we have long championed a clear pathway to citizenship for
immigrants. The congressional framework makes that possible, and we look
forward to ironing out the details so that the path is not strewn with insurmountable
obstacles.

Another NETWORK priority, family reunification, is also part of this
proposal. This issue, like so many aspects of immigration reform, links
directly to Catholic Social Teaching. Our faith teaches us that upholding the
dignity and worth of each person is fundamental, and that we need to alleviate human
suffering. As the president said, we are not just talking about policies here;
this is about people. Separating families creates tremendous pain, and it is
immoral.

We are pleased that the congressional proposal acknowledges that
children brought to this country did not knowingly break the law, and they
should not be forced to face the same requirements as adults. This is both
humane and reasonable.

We also appreciate congressional recognition that our borders have
become safe so we had reservations about the phrasing when the congressional
proposal stated that the pathway to citizenship would be “contingent upon our
success in securing our borders and addressing visa overstays.” Our country has
poured almost $200 billion into creating our currently safe borders in recent
years. We also do acknowledge that we need to better address the issue of
people overstaying their visas.

As we have said repeatedly, immigrants strengthen our nation, both
economically and socially. A well-functioning
immigration system will serve the needs of our nation, our communities and our
families. It also strengthens our future. Commonsense
immigration reform is long overdue, and we can now all combine our efforts to
make it a reality.